Caregiver Burnout Starts Small: The Power of Small Course Corrections
Feeling off track? Learn how subtle shifts in your routine can prevent burnout and bring you back to what matters most.
I know what makes me feel my best in every area of my life. And I work with others to help them uncover what things work best and matter most in their own lives. But the reality is, life gets busy. Especially if you are a caregiver or helper of some sort (and aren’t most of us in one way or another?), it can be easy to slightly veer off our preferred path.
We get so busy caring for others that our own needs take a backseat. You know, just for a little while. But then one day leads to another and the next thing we know, it’s been over a month since we last did our ideal morning routine - or even half of it! At least that’s what I discovered this morning.
And it reminded me of figures that I’ve heard from Zig Ziglar and others about course correction:
"If you send a rocket to the moon, about ninety percent of the time it’s off course—it ‘fails’ its way to the moon by continually making mistakes and correcting them." ~ Price Pritchett
I love the work that I get to do, and I focus on stress relief and self-care, which means I’m thinking and writing and talking about it all the time - and that can make me feel like I’m practicing it all the time, but in reality? No always!
What Helps:
While we need to have grace with ourselves and allow some flexibility, especially in the summer months, it’s also helpful to check in with ourselves. Pausing and considering a few questions can be helpful:
How is this change in routine affecting me?
Do I feel more peaceful, calmer, less stressed?
Or do I feel like I’m missing something, like I’m not caring for myself in the ways I want to?
In this situation, I determined that I feel more connected with God, my purpose, and myself when I start my morning with devotionals, journaling, and a bit of reading. I also know that I feel better when I set aside intentional time for movement.
Practically, this led to going for a walk yesterday. I went to the park where it was shady, but it was still hot. I really didn’t enjoy it much, but I’m glad I did it. And I’m getting ready to go walk again when I finish this, before it gets hot and before I get so busy that I decide not to.
This morning, I decided to jump back into my reading, journaling, and writing - and it feels great. I remember what I’ve been missing, and how energized I feel when I’ve fueled myself in this way. And I have a plan for staying on track, or at least not letting myself veer so far off my chosen path.